Heddle release mechanism



Aug. 17, 1948. BA. PETERSON HEDDLE RELEASE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 14, 1945 INVENTQR v B urb A. Peterson ATI'ORN EYS PatentedAug. 17, 1948 .HEDDLE RELEASE MECHANISM.

Burt A. Peterson, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Barber-Colman Company,Rockford, 111., a. corporation of Illinois Application June 14, 1945,Serial No. 599,442 t (01. 28- 16) The present invention relates tomechanisms for releasing, one by one, a series of heddles from apack,.such mechanisms being suited for use in Warp drawing machines,heddle counting machines, or any other machine where such sl cessiverelease .of heddles is required.

The general aim of the present invention is to afford a Middle releasemechanism which does not require a special keyhole in the heddles. toaccommodate them for release. On the contrary, release mechanisms-of thepresent invention are adapted for use with heddles having only a. simpleslot or thread eye in them and no additional keyhole.

For an example of a release mechanism of the type heretofore availablein theart and requiring a special release keyhol in the heddle inaddition to the thread eye, see my .Patent No. 2,175,910, issuedOctober10, 1939.

A more specific object is to provide in a heddle release mechanismhaving a release key operative upon the foremost heddle of a pack tohold it releasably against separation therefrom, means for relievingsuch heddle, of wear incident. to the movement of the release key fromholding to releasing position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparentas'the. following description proceeds, taken in. connectionwith th accompanyi-ng drawings in which:

Figure .1 is a front view of a warp drawing ma-. chine equipped with aheddle release mechaniSm embodying the present invention, the portionsof the machine not directly related to the release mechanism beingomitted for the sake of clarity and simplicity of illustration.

Fig. 2. is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view takensubstantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1 and illustrating a portion ofthe 22 Claims.

actuating system for the heddle release mechamsm.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3. inFig. 2. I Fig. 4 is an enlarged front end view of the release key andcooperating detent finger included in the release mechanism, anassociated heddle beingshown in broken lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the release mechanism shownas incorporated in the machine of Fig. 1, and illustrating its locationin reference to the heddle pack upon which it operates.

6 is an enlarged fragmentar -y perspective view-showing the release keyand detent finger of the release mechanism in a different position fromthatwhich they occupy in Fig. 5.

While the invention "is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it; is to be understoodthat I do not therebyintend to limit the invention to the specific fornrdisclosed, but intend to ,cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions fallin within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the a pended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention has beenillustrated'therein as embodied in ,a heddle release mechanism, shown(Fig. i) in this instance as applied to -a-=warp drawing. machine. Suchmachine need not be considered in its entirety for an understanding of,the present invention and has therefore only been partially illustrated.For the present sufflCe it to note that the machine includes a base orbed 10 above which are supported a series or hedd-le frames inside-by-side relation,only one of which appears and is designatedgenerally as II. On each of these frames is carried a group of heddles'I2. The general function of'the release mechanism is to retain theheddles I2 compacted in a pack or bunch against a backer 13 on theheddle frame, and to release the heddles one byone from the pack inaccordance with the operation of a pattern control mechanism, There.-after they are picked up by some other mecha: nism, suchas a leader worm(not shown) and threads inserted through the eyes of the heddles.

The heddle frames .II are in the present instance rectangular, eachcomprising top and'bottom bars 14 joined by endxbars l5. The-.heddlcframes are suspended by supports ['6 from an elevatedv frame Ii -risingfrom the base =10. A bar engage rails 20 fixed to the heddl'e frames. 1Ii.

The-backer I3'- maystake various forms such, for

1 example, as that illustrated in detail in my 3 justable along therails 20 and against which the heddles are compacted in a bundle.

In each of the heddles l 2 is a thread eye IZb in the form of alongitudinally extending slot. These eyes are formed in laterallyenlarged central portions of the heddles and the eyes in successiveheddles overlap each other. However, the eyes in alternate heddles areoffset longitudinally with respect to each other (see Fig, 6) so thatthe overlap or registry of the eyes in successive heddles making up thepack is only partial. This offset of the eyes in successive heddles isutilized by the release mechanism which will next be described.

The release mechanism includes, in the illusrated embodiment of theinvention, a key 2! and a cooperatin detent finger 22 (Figs. 5 and 6)operation of the release mechanism, attention carried by respectiveshafts 23 and 24. The key shaft 23 extends through an opening in thecentral portion of the backer l3 and through the registering portions ofthe thread eyes [2b in the heddles, having a radially extending lug onits forward end which constitutes the key 2|. The detent shaft 24, onthe other hand, extends alongside the heddle pack rather than throughit, being in parallelism with the key shaft 23. To the forward; end ofthe detent shaft 24 is fixed the radially projectin detent finger 22engageable with the front face of the pack of heddles when swung intothe position of Fig. 6.

A pair of such key and detent shafts 23, 24 for each of the severalheddle frames l I is carried by and projects forwardly from a car(Fig. 1) which is wheel-mounted on the machine bed In to roll toward andfrom the heddle frames. In the normal operation of the machine the car25 is urged to move to the right (as viewed in Fig. 1). Accordingly,when the release keys 2| are positioned as shown in Fig. 5 they engagewith the foremost ones of the heddles I2 in their respective packs, thepull exerted by the car 25 on the key shafts 23 causing the keys tocompress or compact the respective bundles of heddles against theirbackers l3. Since thehooked ends [2a of the heddles frictionally engagethe rails 20 there is a bowing of the packs toward their backers.

Having compacted and bowed the several heddle packs against the backersin the manner described above, the dent shafts 24 are turned to rock thedetent fingers 22 in front of the heddle packs (see Fig. 6) to retainthem in place. With the heddles thus temporarily restrained by thedetent fingers, the key shafts 23 may be moved axially to free theirrespective keys 2| from contact with the heddles. The freed keys maythen each be revolved, without frictional engagement with the foremostheddle, through a half revolution to aline the keys 2| with the threadeyes 12b in the foremost heddles. Thereafter the key shafts 23 are movedaxially back toward their initial positions, the keys 2| movin throughthe slots in the first heddles into contact with the next heddles andbowing the same back toward the backer with a small clearance of thedetent 22. With the keys thus abutted against the second heddles,rocking of the detent fingers 22 out of engagement with the forwardheddles permits the latter to spring forward free of the keys. Thebowing imparted to the heddles places them under tension and suchtension is thus utilized in separating them from the pack. Moreover, thenoses of the detent fingers 22 are relieved or cut turned intopack-engaging position they will may now be given to the disclosedarrangement for actuating the key and detent shafts 23, 24 in timedrelation with each other for selectively releasing successive heddles.The drive for that purpose is derived from a cam shaft 26 (Figs. 2 and3) journaled transversely within the car 25 and driven through bevelgears 2'! from a main drive shaft 28. a barrel cam 29 utilized inoscillating the detent shafts 24, a two-roller cylinder cam 30 utilizedin oscillating the key shafts 23, and an open-faced cam 3i utilized inshifting the key shafts 23 axially.

As to the oscillator for the detent shafts 24, it will be observed uponreference to Figs. 2 and 3 (see also Fig, 5) that pinions 32 are pinnedto these detent shafts, bein located Within a housing 33 atop the car 25and in which the detent shafts are journaled. These pinions 32 mesh witha rack 34 slidable endwise within the housing 33. The rack 34 is in turnmeshed with a sector 35 on the upper end of a'follower lever 36 pivotedintermediate its ends at 31 and having a cam follower roller 38 on itslower end received in the peripheral groove of the barrel cam 29. Thecam shape and tooth ratios are so chosen that for each rotation of thecam shaft 26 the detent shafts 24 are oscillated or turned forward andback about their longitudinal axes through a quarter turn, therebyshifting the detent fingers 22 between the two alternate positionstherefor indicated in full and broken lines in Fig. 4. V

The oscillator for the key shafts 23 may be somewhat similar to that forthe detent shafts 24 described above. Thus in the present instancepinions 39 for the several key shafts are adapted to be meshed with arack bar 40 slidable endwise within the housing 33. A pair of followerrollers 4i journaled on the outer end of this bar 40 engage the cylindercam 30, the parts being so proportioned that the key shafts 23 areoscillated through a half revolution and back to starting position foreach full revolution of the cam shaft 26, in the event that the pinions38 are meshed with the rack bar 40. 1

Provision is made for shifting individual ones of the pinions 39 into orout of meshing engagement with the rack-40 so that by thus establishingor disestablishing the drivefrom the cam shaft 26 to selected ones ofthe release keys, the selection of heddles may be correspondinglycontrolled. To accomplish. such' selective connection of the pinions 39to the rack 4!! the pinions are splined on the respective key shafts 23for axial movement relative thereto. Each .pinion 39 is rigid with aspool 42 (Figs. 3 and 5) presenting an annular groove in which isreceived a lug 43 on the forwardend of a corresponding shifter bar 44.The shifter bars have rack teeth 45 (Fig. 5) on their outer ends meshedwith idler pinions 46 and are moved endwise by a suitable patterncontrolled mechanism such, for example, as that disclosed in Russell P.Drake application Serial No. 533,160, filed April 28, 1944, now PatentRigid with the cam shaft 26 are Present invention. For the:present,1suffice itto ay that-when the pattern calls for release of a.

heddle l2 from a particular one of: the series-of heddle frames, acorresponding pattern control bard! having its rack teeth 48 meshedwiththe companion. pinion 45 moves to the. right (as viewcd-inFig, 59-. Thiscauses the corresponding shifter bar 44 to move to the'right (as alsovie-wed in Fig-,5), drawing the corresponding pinion 39 bodily to theright into mesh with the rack bar 40 so; that the: companion release key2i canbe. oscillated by such rack bar. Conversely, whenthe'pattern doesnot call for release of. a heddle from a particular frame, no movementis imparted toithe corresponding pattern control bar. '41 and-shifterbar 44, so that the appropriate pinion 39' remains in disengagedrelation with respect to the rack bar 40.. In such disengaged position,the pinion and its release key are held positively against rotation by alug 49 on thepinion engaging. witha notched stop member 50 fixed to thehousing 33.

For shifting the release keys 2] endwise a corresponding. series of armsEl'keyed to a rock shaft 52 (Figs. 2.; 3 and 5) are operativelyconnected Withthe key shafts 23. Thus the bifurcated upper endsof thearms carry rollers 53 received between a pair of spaced flanges .54fixed to the respective release key shafts 23. A depending follower arm55, also keyed to the rock shaft '52, carries onits lower end a followerroller 56 re'- ceived in the groove of the open-faced cam 31. For eachrotation of the cam shaft 26- the release key shafts 23 are thus thrustforward by the rocker arms Sl and then pulled back to their initialpositions.

Theoperation of the disclosed apparatus will in general be clear fromthe foregoing. By way of brief recapitulation, it may be observed thattheseriesof heddle frames such as l I are-initially-set'upon the machineand the release keys 2| positioned as shown in Fig. 5 for compacting thecorresponding bunches of heddles against the backers. The machine is setin operation and for each revolution of the cam shaft 26 a heddle l2isreleased from each pack selected by the pattern controlled mechanism.Thus, as the camshaftZB revolves the cam controlled rack bar 34is-rthrustztothe left (as viewed in Fig. 5) ,turning the detentshaftsMfrom the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6 where the detents 22 arelocated to engage and hold their corresponding packs of heddles as thelatter moveforwardly slightly uponithe subsequent axial advance of- :therelease keys. While the-detents 22 dwellin such position: the rockerarms. 5| thrust the release .key shafts 23 axially forward, freeingtheir keys 2| from frictional engagement with the bunched heddles;Those: of the release key shafts which have been selected for operationby the pattern controlled shifter rods 41-(th1=ough engagement of theirpinions- 39 with the rack bar 40.) are turnedthrough a half revolution.After'having been thus turned, the release key shafts are shifted,axially to return their keys for engagement Withtheheddles. v Those keyswhich have been turned now engage the second heddle in the pack, passingthrough the eye in the first heddle. Thereafter the detent fingersare-oscillated back to their freedor. starting position, whereupon thefront heddles. of. the selected packs springforwardoutof the pack, I nzthe noneselectedpack he. rslt e: e sn h vin be ea ri iedr 13.- l

i c engage the first heddle in the pack so that no heddle is released.These operations are repeated,- for eachqrevolution of the camshaft26,..freeing successive vheddles from selected packsas the patternmayrequire.

I I claimas my invention;

1. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of heddles frictionally supported at opposite ends on saidframe and slotted intermediate their ends to form eyes relatively offsetin the case .ofadjacent-heddles, the combination of atraveling-carriageland mechanism on said carriage for releasing heddlesone at a time from said pack, said mechanism includin a shaft threadedthrou h the heddle eyes. andhaving a, key thereon antuated successivelyinto two positions. respectively alined withthe eyes of adjacentheddles, and detent means engaging with. the foremost heddleto hold. thesame against release from the pack during the movement ofithe releasekey from one position to the other, said detent means being-operativeinto disassociated: relation to the foremost heddle following movementof the release key into one of said positions.

2.111 a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith'heddles supported at opposite ends and arranged ina pack;

to restrain the foremost heddle against release from the pack duringsuch movement of the release key, said release mechanism being operativeto draw the heddles along the supportin frame so asto-eflect a bowing ofthe heddles as an inci-.

dent to the engagement of the free ends thereof with thehedd'le'supporting frame.

3. In a. warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith spaced par-- allel bars with which the opposite ends of the heddlesfrictionally engage, a release mechanism acting upon the heddlesintermediate their ends so as'to effect a bowing thereof whereby toplace the heddles under tension, said release mechanism comprising arelease key movable successively into two positions and operative in therespective positions to release successive ones of the heddles forseparation from the stack, and other means coacting with the release keyto temporarily restrain a separating movement of the foremost heddleduring movement of the release key from one of said releasing positionsto the other.

4. In' a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of heddles frictionally' supported at opposite ends on saidframe, a release mechanism foreffecting the separation of said heddlesone at a time from the pack, said mechanism comprising selectivelyoperable release means movable from a position in holding engagementwith the foremost heddle into. a releasing position with respect to suchheddle, said release mechanism being operative to place the heddles insaid pack under tension so as to cause the foremost heddle to separatefrom the pack as permitted by said release means, and other means fortemporarily holding the fore most heddle against separation from thepack as permitted by said release means and timed with respect to. theoperation of the release means to move out of. holding relation withrespect to the 7. foremost heddle upon movement of the release means-outof holding position.-

5. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith'a pack of heddles frictionally supported at'opposite ends on saidframe, a release mechanism for effecting the separation of said heddlesone ata time from the pack, said mechanism comprising selectivelyoperable release means movable from a position in holding engagementwith the foremost heddle into a releasing position with respect to suchheddle, saidrelease mechanism being operative to place the heddles insaid pack under tension so as to cause the foremost heddle to separatefrom the pack as permitted by said release means, other means movableinto holding relation with the foremost heddle preliminary to themovement of the release means into its heddle releasing position, andmeans for shifting the release means into disassociated relation to theforemost heddle preliminary to the movement of the release means intoits said releasing position.

6. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of heddles friction-ally supported at opposite ends on saidframe, a release mechanism for effectin the separation of said heddlesone at a time from the pack, said mechanism comprising selectivelyoperable release means movable from a position in holding engagementwith the foremost heddle into a releasing position with respect to suchheddle, said release mechanism being operative to place the heddles isaid Pack under tension so as to cause the foremost heddle to separatefrom the pack as permitted by said release means, and other meansmovable into holding position with respect to the foremost heddle toretain the same during movement of the release means into its saidreleasing position with respect to such heddle, said other means beingoperative in such movement to engage a previously released heddle with apositive action so as to insure separation thereof from the pack.

'7. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of centrally apertured heddles frictionally supported atopposite ends on said frame, a release mechanism for effecting theseparation of said heddles one at a time from the pack, said mechanismcomprising a shaft threaded through alined apertures in the heddles andhaving a key thereon movable from a position in holding relation to theforemost heddle into a releasing position with respect thereto, said keybeing operative in each such position to release a heddle from the pack,and a detent movable into holding position with respect to the foremostheddle preliminary to the movement of the release key into releasingposi tion with respect to such heddle.

8. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of centrally apertured heddles frictionally supported atopposite ends on said frame, a release mechanism for effecting theseparation of said heddles one at a time from the pack, said mechanismcomprising a shaft threaded through alined apertures in the heddles andhaving a key thereon movable from a position in holdin relation to theforemost heddle into a releasing position with respect thereto, and adetent movable into holding position with respect to the foremost heddlepreliminary to the movement of the release key into releasing positionwith respect to such heddle, said detent being reciprocable so as tomove out of engagement with the foremost heddle and then into engagementwith the next heddle, and being operative in the latter movement toeffect a positive movement of separation of the first heddle from thepack by cam engagement with such heddle.

9. In a warp drawing machine having means for supporting a heddle framewith a pack of slotted heddles frictionally supported at opposite endson said frame, a release mechanism for effootin the separation of saidheddles one at a time from the pack; a shaft threaded through alinedslots centrally of the heddles with the slots of adjacent heddlesextending in opposite directions and including a laterally projectingportion movable successively from a position in blocking relation to theforemost heddle at one side of the slot therein into position inregistry with said slot, said mechanism acting on the pack of heddles toplace the same under tension while the release key is in its saidblocking position, and means operative upon the heddles to relievefrictional engagement between the release key and the foremost heddleduring movement of the key from said blocking position into its saidreleasing position.

I 10. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddlesfrom a pack of the same in which the heddles each have a slot thereinoverlapping the slot in the next adjacent heddle of the pack but withthe slots in adjacent heddles ofiset in opposite directions, thecombination with a release key shaft adapted to project through theoverlapping portions of the slots and having a key on its forward endregisterable with the slots in successive heddles in correspondingsuccessive half turn positions of said shaft, of means including adetent movable into and out of engagement with the foremost heddle inthe pack for temporarily holding the pack bunched out of contact'withsaid key while the latter is rotating.

11. In a mechanism for releasing heddles from a pack, the-combinationwith means including a rotatable release key for retaining the pack ofheddlescompressed and for releasing successive heddles from the pack insuccessive predetermined angular positions of said key, of means forshifting said release keylongitudinally out of engagement with the packpreparato to each successive rotational movement of said key, togetherwith detent means for temporarily retaining the pack bunched while saidkey is out of engagement with the pack.

12. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddles each have a slot thereinoverlapping the slot in the next adjacent heddle of the pack but withthe slots in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, thecombination of a release'key shaft adapted to project through theoverlappingportions of the slots and having a key on its forward endregisterable with the slots in successive heddles in correspondingsuccessive half turn positions of said shaft, a detent swingableinto'and out of a position in front of the pack, and means for actuatingsaid release key and detent in timed relation to effect, first, movementof said detent into holding relation with the foremost heddle, second,separation of said release key from such foremost heddle, third,rotation of said release key to position the same in registry with theslot in said foremost heddle, fourth, movement of said release keythrough the last mentioned slot into holding engagement with the nextadjacent heddle, and fifth, movement of said detent out of holdingengagement with said foremost heddle whereby to releas it. 13. In amechanism for releasing heddles from a pack supported in front of-abacker on a pair of rails along which the heddles are slidable lease keylongitudinally out of engagement with the pack preparatory to'eachsuccessive rotational movement of said key, together with detent meansfor temporarily retaining the pack bunched while said key is out ofengagement'with thepack. I a

14. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddles each have a thread eye thereinoverlapping the eye in the next adjacent heddle of the pack but with theeyes in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, the combinationof a'release .key shaft adapted to project through the overlappingportions of the heddle eyes, a key on the forward end of said key shaftregisterable with the eyes in successive heddles incorresponding halfturn positions of said key shaft, a rock shaft extending in parallelismwith said key shaft and laterallyoffset therefrom to lie alongside thepack of heddles, a detent finger on the forward end of said rock shaftshiftable by rocking of the latter into and out of position to engagethe foremost heddle in the pack, and means for turning alternate ones ofsaid rock and .key shafts through quarterand half turns respectively intimed relation with each other. a

15. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddleseach have a thread eye thereinoverlapping the eye in the next adjacent heddle of the pack but with theeyes in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, the combi nationof a release key shaft adapted to project through the overlappingportions of the heddle eyes, a key on the forward: end of said key shaftregisterable with the eyes in adjacent heddles in correspondingsuccessive half turn positions of said key shaft, arock shaft extendingin parallelism with said key shaft and laterally offset therefromtollie. alongside the pack of heddles, -adetent finger on the forwardendof said frock shaft shiftable by rocking of the latter into and out ofposition to engage the foremost heddle in the pack, and cam actuatedmeans for not only turning alternate ones of said shafts, with a halfturn of said key shaft intervening between successive quarter turns ofsaid rock shaft in opposite directions, but for also recpirocating saidkey shaft endwise away from the pack and back toward the same aftereach, turn of said rock shaft to swing said detent finger toward thepack and prior to the succeeding half turn of said key shaft.

16. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddles each have a thread eye thereinoverlapping the eye in the next adjacent heddle in the pack but with theeyes in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, the combinationof a release key shaft adapted to project through the overlappingportions of the "10 heddle eyes, a key on the forward end of said keyshaft registerable with'the eyes in adjacent'heddles in correspondingsuccessive half turn positions of said key shaft, to thereby releasesuccessive'heddles in successive half turn positions of said key, meansincluding a detent movable into and out of engagement with the foremostheddle in the pack'for temporarily holding the pack bunched while inengagement with such heddle, and means for actuating said key shaft anddetent in timed relation with each other to successively bring saiddetent into engaging position, shift said key'away from the pack andback while rotatingit through a half turn, and

:finall-y withdraw said detent from'the pack.

1'7. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddlesfrom a pack of the same of engagement with the foremost heddle in thepack for temporarily holding the pack bunched while in engagement withsuch heddle, means for actuating said key shaft and detent in timedrelation with each other to successively bring said detent into engagingposition, shift said ke away from the packand back while rotating itthrough a half turn, and finally withdraw said detent from the pack, andmeans for disabling said last-named means against effecting rotation ofsaid key shaft. p

18. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack, of the same key shaft and positioned relative to the latter to'extend alongside the pack, said rock shaft carrying a detent on itsforward end movable into and out of engagement with the foremost heddlein the pack of said rock shaft, pinions carried by each of said rockshafts, a pair of reciprocable racks meshed with respective ones of saidpinions, and power operated means for reciprocating said racks in timedrelation with each other, I

19. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddles each have a thread eye thereinoverlapping the eye in the next adjacent heddle in the pack but with theeyes in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, the combinationof a release key shaft adapted to project through the overlappingportions of the heddle eyes, a key on the forward end of said key shaftregisterable with the eyes in adjacent heddles in correspondingsuccessive half-turn positions of said key shaft, to thereby releasesuccessive heddles in successive half-turn positions of said key, a rockshaft paralleling said key shaft and positioned relative to the latterto extend alongside the pack, said rock shaft carrying a detent on itsforward end movable into and out of engagement with the foremost heddlein the pack of said rock shaft, pinions carried by each of said rockshafts, a pair of reciprocable racks meshed with respective ones of saidpinions, power operated means for reciprocating said racks in timedrelation with each other, the one of said pinions carried by said keyshaft having a splined connection with the latter, and means forshifting the last-mentioned pinion out of mesh with its associated rackto disable the latter against turning said key shaft while said rockshaft is turning.

20. In a mechanism for releasing, one at a time, successive heddles froma pack of the same in which the heddles each have a thread eye thereinoverlapping the eye in the next adjacent heddle in the pack but with theeyes in adjacent heddles offset in opposite directions, the combinationof a release key shaft adapted to project through the overlappingportions of the heddle eyes, a key on the forward end of said key shaftregisterable with the eyes in adjacent heddles in correspondingsuccessive half-turn positions of said key shaft, to thereby releasesuccessive heddles in successive half-turn positions of said key, a rockshaft paralleling said key shaft and positioned relative to the latterto extend alongside the pack, said rock shaft carrying a detent on itsforward end movable into and out of engagement with the foremost heddlein the pack of said rock shaft, pinions carried by each of said rockshafts, a pair of reciprocable racks meshed with respective ones of saidpinions, and power actuated-means for not only reciprocating both ofsaid racks in timed relation with each other but for also reciprocatingsaid key shaft axially in timed relation with the reciprocation of saidracks.

21. In a mechanism for releasing heddles from a pack supported in frontof a backer on a pair of rails along which the heddles are slidablewhile in frictional engagement with the same, each heddle having athread eye therein overlapping the thread eye in the next adjacentheddle of the pack but with the eyes in adjacent heddles offset inopposite directions, the combination of a release key shaft adapted toproject through the overlapping portions of said eyes and having a keyon its forward end registerable with the eyes in adjacent heddles incorresponding successive half-turn positions of said shaft, the'pressureof said key against said heddles serving to bow them centrally towardsaid backer, means for shifting said shaft endwise to free said key fromthe heddles during turning of said key, 7 and means including a detentmovable into and out of engagement with the foremost heddle in the packfor temporarily holding the pack bunched out of contact with saidkeywhile the latter is rotating, said detent being operative as anincident to its movement into engagement with the heddle next to bereleased from the pack to impart a movement of separation to the heddlelast previously released.

22. In a warp drawing machine, the combination of a heddle frame havinga pack of heddles frictionally supported at opposite ends and eachhaving a thread eye intermediate its .ends, and mechanism for releasingheddles one at-a time from said pack, said mechanism including atraveling carriage, release means on said carriage shiftable selectivelyinto and out of holding position with respect to successive heddles andalso movable in a direction longitudinally of the heddle frame to bowthe heddles and place them under tension, detent means also-shiftableinto and out of holding position with respect to the heddles, and meansfor actuating said release means and said'detent means in timed relationto'eflect, first,movement of the release means longitudinally of theheddle frame and into engagement with the foremost heddle so as to placethe heddles of the pack under tension, second, movement of the detentmeans into holding engagement with the foremost heddle to maintain theheddles under tension, third, movement of the release means intoreleasing position with respect to the foremost heddle and, fourth,movement of the detent means out of its holding position with respect tothe foremost heddle.

BURT A. PETERSON;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

